System for containment and handling of hazardous materials

ABSTRACT

A modular containment structure adapted for the storage and handling of  hrdous materials which is a rectangular shaped box like structure with exterior walls, a floor, a roof and a door for access to an internal portion of the structure. Included in the internal portion of the modular containment structure are modular shelving units for storage of the hazardous materials and a computer for maintaining an inventory of the materials stored within the structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to the handling of hazardous wastes andother hazardous materials. More specifically, the present invention isconcerned with a new form of containment unit for handling, storing andtransporting hazardous materials.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The handling, storage and transport of hazardous materials, andparticularly hazardous waste has become a problem of major proportions.Increased emphasis is being placed on the importance of assuring thatsolvents, lubricants, paint related products, and the like are storedwith adequate safeguards. Increasingly, it is being recognized that evensmall spills and relatively minor leakages of the growing number ofsubstances that are being referred to by the term "hazardous material"can detrimentally affect persons, property, plants, animals, groundwater and other aspects of ecology and the environment. Moreover, inview of increasing concern about the lasting nature of the adverseeffects that can result from spills and unchecked leakage of hazardousmaterials, the issue of transportation and storage of hazardousmaterials is receiving increasing attention by law-makers, by regulatoryagencies, and by those Who have been elected to govern and to enforcethe laws and regulations relating to hazardous materials.

In the past, the standard form of container for the handling, storageand transportation of hazardous materials has been the 55 gallon steeldrum. In transportation of hazardous materials using 55 gallon steeldrums, the drums are easily ruptured if an accident occurs. A highimpact against a gang of the drums in a truck accident, for example, cancause a sort of domino effect wherein sufficient impact is transferredto a great number of the drums to rupture the drums. This is due to thebasic cylindrical shape of the drum as well as its relatively thinwalled construction.

During transportation and storage of the drums another hazard which mayoccur when full drums are stacked which they frequently are becausetheir shape clearly lends itself to stacking. In many instances thedrums are stacked eight or nine tiers high. These drums often leak, withthe leaking chemicals flowing down to mix with other chemicals below. Inthis situation, even if the individual chemicals are not in themselvesparticularly hazardous, an unknown and hazardous combination may result.

When using cylindrical drums there is another potential hazard in thatthe drums are inherently reusable, even if the drums are not intendedfor this purpose. Unwitting re-use with an incompatible chemical cancause an explosion or the creation of a dangerous, explosive, poisonousor otherwise hazardous combination. The inherent re-usability ofcylindrical drums is a significant disadvantage. Cylindrical drums withexplosive materials have been known to ignite and shoot through abuilding roof in the manner of a rocket. Explosive material can dry andharden from the outside in toward the center of the drum, leaving ahollow core which can act as a rocket nozzle. This is another inherentdisadvantage in using cylindrical drums for the storage of explosivehazardous materials.

For these and other reasons, there remains a very genuine and real needfor a well designed, heavy duty containment facility that appropriatelywill address today's increasing concern for the way in which hazardousmaterials are handled, transported and stored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The structure of the present invention addresses the foregoing and otherneeds of hazardous material storage, handling and transportation byproviding an environmentally safe modular storage unit which willprovide a good service life and under circumstances of reasonable use,can be moved from site to site over the years as may be appropriate toaddress a series of different servicing needs.

In the preferred practice, the modular hazardous material containmentstructure comprises a generally rectangular box like frame whichincludes a base or floor having side supporting walls mounted thereonand extending upward and a roof secured to the top of the sidesupporting walls. Positioned at one end of the containment of thestructure is a door which allows a user of the structure access to theinternal portion of the structure. The internal portion structureincludes modular shelving units for storing the hazardous materials anda computer work station which allows the user to inventory the hazardousmaterials. Heating and cooling for the internal portion of the modularhazardous material containment structure is provided by an airconditioner/heat pump.

There is also provided with the modular hazardous material containmentstructure removable wheels and a removable tow bar which when attachedto the structure allows a tow truck or the like to move the structurewithin a hazardous material storage facility.

The above and other advantages and features of the present inventionwill be more fully understood on reference to the preferred embodimentthereof and to all the figures of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective, front elevation view of the modular hazardousmaterial containment structure constituting the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, side elevation view of the modular hazardousmaterial containment structure;

FIG. 3 is a view cut away to partially illustrate the internal structureof the modular hazardous material containment structure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal layout of themodular hazardous material containment structure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective, front elevation view illustrating anotherembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the placement of the modular hazardous materialcontainment structure in the cargo area of an ocean going vessel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purposeof illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention only and notfor the purpose of limiting the same, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, illustrate amodular hazardous material containment structure, designated by thereference numeral 10 which is suitable for storing flammable, explosive,toxic and other hazardous materials. Modular hazardous materialcontainment structure 10 includes a generally rectangular box like framewhich includes a base or floor 22 with side supporting walls 12, 14, 16and 18 mounted thereon and extending upward. Side supporting walls 12,14, 16 and 18 are attached to the edges of floor 22 by welds, not shown.Each of the side supporting walls 12, 14, 16 or 18 is, in turn, securedto an adjacent supporting wall by welds, not shown. Corner braces mayalso be used for additional support at each location where one sidesupporting walls 12, 14, 16 or 18 is secured to its adjacent supportingwall.

A roof 20 is mounted on the top portion of the side supporting walls 12,14, 16 and 18 and is rectangular in shape. Side supporting walls 12, 14,16 and 18 are also attached to the edges of roof 20 by welds, not shown.

As is best illustrated in FIG. 1 the hazardous material containmentstructure 10 has dimensions of approximately twenty feet in length, ninefeet in width and a height of about eight feet. The structure 10 may befabricated from steel which is generally corrosion resistant andexplosion proof and which may be, for example, nickel-bearing chromiumstainless steel, or the like.

A side 18 of modular hazardous material containment structure 10includes a door 26 preferably attached to structure 10 by hinges, notillustrated. Door 26, in turn, allows a user of structure 10 access tothe inner portion of structure 10 which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.Preferably only one door per modular hazardous material containmentstructure 10 is provided, although it is within the scope of theinvention to add additional doors if it is desired. It should be notedthat the door may be fabricated from a corrosion resistant steel of thetype utilized to fabricate the structure 10.

Side supporting wall 12 of structure 10 includes a window 24(illustrated in FIG. 1) which is fabricated from commercially availablebullet proof glass. Again preferably only one window per modularhazardous material containment structure 10 is provided, although itshould be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to addadditional windows if it is desired.

As is best illustrated in FIG. 1, the roof 20 of structure includes apair of air vents 30 mounted therein. Air vents 30 are provided to allowfor the monitoring and removal of gasses which may collect inside theinterior portion or chamber of modular hazardous material containmentstructure 10 and which may be hazardous to the user of the interiorportion of structure 10. The air vents may be adapted for use with a gascollection and treatment system (not illustrated) should the gases beconsidered harmful to the environment. Such a collection and treatmentis well known in the art.

Roof 20 also includes four lifting rings 32 mounted to the top portionof roof 20 at each corner structure 10. Lifting rings 32, for example,allow a hoist or crane to remove structure 10 from or place structure 10the cargo hold 56 (illustrated in FIG. 6) of an ocean going vessel.

There is attached to the front portion of modular hazardous materialcontainment structure 10 a removable tow bar 28 which is secured to sidesupporting wall 16 by mounting bolts, not shown. Structure 10 also hasattached to its floor at each corner wheel jacks 36 upon which arerotatably mounted removable wheels 34. When structure 10 is, forexample, being utilized in a warehouse containing hazardous materialsand it is not practical to a hoist or crane to move structure 10, a towtruck may be used to move structure 10 within the warehouse by attachingtow bar 28 and wheels 34 to structure 10 and then securing tow bar 28 tothe tow truck.

There is also mounted on the front portion of structure 10 a combinationheat pump/air conditioner 38 which is used to maintain the internaltemperature of structure 10 at temperature which is comfortable for theuser of structure 10 while not allowing for an adverse chemical reactionof the hazardous materials stored within structure 10 which may injurethe user of structure 10.

It should be noted that heat pump/air conditioner 38 allows for the useof modular hazardous material containment structure 10 in adverseclimates such as a desert or an antarctic type climate.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown the internal structure of structure10 which has therein a plurality of heavy duty modular shelving units 42with each shelving unit 42 having a plurality of shelves 44. The modularshelving units 42 allow for the housing and storage of containers ofhazardous materials such as cans of paint, drums of lubricants and thelike. Heavy duty modular shelving units 42 are, in turn, secured tofloor 22 by used of mounting bolts, not shown.

At this time it should be noted that the heavy duty modular shelvingunits 42 used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention aremanufactured by Shields Manufacturing Company of Oxnard, California andare designated as Model MRC-1007 Seismic Secondary Containment Shelves.It should be understood, however, that any shelving units which allowfor the safe storage of hazardous materials may be used as modularshelving units 42 within the present invention.

Modular hazardous material containment structure 10 also has in itsinterior a plurality of explosion proof lighting units or ceilingfixtures 40 attached to its roof/ceiling 20. Ceiling fixtures, in turn,provide interior lighting for the user of structure 10. The lightingunits used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention are anexplosion proof fluorescent lighting unit commercially available fromShields Manufacturing Company. Again, any commercially availableexplosion proof lighting unit may be used as ceiling fixtures 40.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a layout of the interior of themodular hazardous material containment structure 10. The layoutillustrates the position of the various components of modular hazardousmaterial containment structure 10 which may be utilized by the user ofstructure 10 to assist him in his management of the hazardous materialsstored within structure 10. For example, modular hazardous materialcontainment structure 10 includes a computer work station 46 having acomputer for maintaining an inventory of the hazardous materials storedwithin structure 10, the date the material was first stored in structure10, the location of each hazardous material stored within structure 10and other information which is pertinent to storing hazardous materialswithin structure 10. It should be understood that any well known andcommercially available computer software program may be used within thecomputer of work station 46 to maintain the inventory of hazardousmaterials stored within structure 10.

Modular hazardous material containment structure 10 also includes theheavy duty modular shelving units 42 for the storage of hazardousmaterials and an explosion proof refrigerator 48 which may be used forthe storage of hazardous materials which are volatile at highertemperatures. The explosion proof refrigerator used in the preferredembodiment of the present invention is commercially available fromShields Manufacturing Company and is designated as Model MRC-1003Explosion Proof Refrigerator.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown an alternative embodiment of themodular hazardous material containment structure 10 which has on theupper portion of supporting side wall 12, FIG. 1, a meshed ventilationscreen 50 which allows air flow throughout the interior of structure 10to ventilate the interior of structure 10.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown the cargo hold 56 of an oceangoing vessel which has therein the modular hazardous materialcontainment structure constituting the present invention which isdesignated by the reference numeral 52. There is also included in cargohold 56 a maintenance shop 54, a storage area 58, an accumulation area56, recyclable material collection containers 60 for storing thehazardous materials and a bale crusher 62. Each of these areas withincargo hold 56 and the equipment including structure 10 are utilized toprovide an efficient and very effective system for the handling, storageand transportation of hazardous materials aboard an ocean going vessel.

From the foregoing, it may be seen that the present invention comprisesa new, unique and exceedingly useful hazardous material storageapparatus which constitutes a considerable improvement over the knownprior art. Obviously many modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is,therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claimsthe invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A modular containment structure for the storageand containment of hazardous materials, said modular containmentstructure comprising:a generally rectangular, box like structure havinga base and four side supporting walls mounted upon said base, said fourside supporting walls extending upward from said base; a roof mounted ona top portion of said four side supporting walls, said roof beingmounted on said four side supporting walls to form an interior chamberin conjunction with said four side supporting walls and said base; adoor mounted within a first of said four side supporting walls, saiddoor being mounted so as to open and allow access to said interiorchamber from an external environment; a plurality of modular shelvingunits located within said interior chamber of said modular containmentstructure, each of said modular shelving units being mounted on an uppersurface of said base of said modular containment structure; computermeans located within said interior chamber of said modular containmentstructure, said computer means maintaining an inventory of saidhazardous materials stored within said modular containment structure; apair of air vents mounted within the roof of said modular containmentstructure, said air vents allowing for the monitoring and removal ofgasses which collect in said interior chamber of said modularcontainment structure; and heat pump means mounted within a second ofsaid four side supporting walls for maintaining a uniform temperaturewithin said interior chamber of said modular containment structure. 2.The modular containment structure of claim 1 further comprising:fourwheels attached to a lower surface of said base of said modularcontainment structure, each of said wheels being positioned near acorner of said base; and a tow bar attached to the second of said fourside supporting walls, said tow bar being adapted for connection to atow truck to allow said tow truck to move said modular containmentstructure from a first location to a second location.
 3. The modularcontainment structure of claim 1 further comprising four lift ringsattached to an upper surface of said roof of said modular containmentstructure, each of said lift rings being positioned near a corner ofsaid roof.
 4. The modular containment structure of claim 1 furthercomprising a plurality of light fixtures mounted upon a lower surface ofsaid roof.
 5. The modular containment structure of claim 1 furthercomprising a refrigerator positioned within said interior chamber ofsaid modular containment structure.